The Eagles allowed 48 sacks last season, and over a 4-part series, we looked at them all individually to determine what went wrong. In case you missed the first three parts of this series, you can find them here:
• Part 1: Games 1-4
• Part 2: Games 5-8
• Part 3: Games 9-12

Jimmy Kempski

Posted:
Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 8:04 PM

The Eagles allowed 48 sacks last season, and over a 4-part series, we looked at them all individually to determine what went wrong. In case you missed the first three parts of this series, you can find them here:

As we continue on with Part 4 of this series, we'll detail each sack allowed against the Vikings, Bears, Cowboys (2nd meeting), and Saints. The Eagles did not allow a sack in the Snow Bowl against the Lions. Here's the final tally of sack responsibility in the Eagles' 17 games in 2013:

Pre-snap, the Vikings are showing a single high safety, and Zach Ertz will be running a corner route ideal for beating that look. Ertz gets open for what should be an easy TD throw, but Foles is looking elsewhere.

Jason Peters is beaten around the edge by Jared Allen, but Allen doesn't get to Foles until 4.1 seconds have elapsed.

Nick Foles (3)

Foles had 6.8 seconds to throw, without any real pressure. He drifted outside the tackle box and could have easily thrown the ball away, but he took a 12 yard loss, leading to a 3rd and 16 instead of a 3rd and 4.

Jason Peters (3.5)

Oof, this one won't make Peters' highlight reel. Jared Allen slams into Peters off the snap...

And puts Peters on roller skates into the backfield, when he disengages and sacks Foles.

Nick Foles (3.5) and Lane Johnson (6.5)

Foles gets good protection initially, but doesn't like what he sees down the field (neither did I).

Foles then sees a lane on the left side that looks like it might yield some decent yards if he runs for it.

But Brian Robison gets off his block and makes the play.

Sometimes when there's nothing down the field, Foles is able to pick up some yards with his legs. On this occasion, his lane closed up quickly and he lost 7 yards. As Foles gets more experience, he'll learn when it's more appropriate to just throw the ball out the back of the end zone, and when he should try to make a play. In this case, with the Eagles behind by 3 scores in the 4th quarter, you'd prefer he just throw it away, as the clock stops with an incompletion.

As for Johnson, this isn't the most egregious sack allowed you'll see, but Robison was still able to get inside of him and slip free for a sack in just under 3 seconds.

Not a sack (1)

I'm not sure why this one counted as a sack. DeSean Jackson (circled in yellow) went in motion pre-snap, and Foles looked to throw a lateral to him, but didn't like it, so he pulled it down and just tried to get whatever yardage back that he could. If you'll notice, Jason Peters (circled in blue) is running down the field to block. This was a running play all the way.

Coverage sack (6.5)

Nothing is there initially. Foles avoids one rusher and buys some time before Riley Cooper eventually finds a hole in the Bears' zone defense.

Already on the run, possibly not completely sure who's around him and what defenders could be in the area of Cooper, it was probably the best thing for Foles to just get what he can with his legs with a 21 point lead. The Eagles only suffer a 1 yard loss.

Nick Foles (4.5)

This was maybe my favorite sack allowed by the Eagles this year. Foles drops back, and has time. There aren't any great options down the field initially, but Foles still has time to let something develop.

"But holy crap, look at the size of this running lane!"

"I'm turning on the jets!"

"Oh crap, defenders in the NFL, even the big ones, are fast."

"Let me turn this way."

"OK, maybe this way."

James Casey (1)

Here's a play where the Eagles are going to move the pocket, and bring James Casey across the formation to block the DE 1-on-1.

It doesn't work.

Jason Peters (4.5)

This one is interesting. Initially, I was tempted to give the sack here to LeSean McCoy for not picking up the blitzing LB, but he actually did a good job of improvisation. Demarcus Ware (the RDE) is going to execute a good inside move on Peters, while DeVonte Holloman (57) will blitz around the edge.

Ware smokes Peters, and McCoy is forced to give Peters help.

That leaves a clear path to the QB for Holloman.

Lane Johnson (7.5)

George Selvie (arrow) beats Johnson soundly to the inside and gets initial pressure on Foles.

Somehow, Selvie misses Foles, but the play is shot, and Jason Hatcher cleans up on the back side with a strip sack turnover.

The officials (2)

This was actually a very heads up play by Nick Foles to take a sack. It was 3rd down, and the Eagles needed one more first down to all but seal the win. The Eagles call a bootleg, and Riley Cooper is blatantly held by Morris Claiborne. How did this not get called?

With nothing there at all to throw to, Foles stays up as long as possible before sliding down to keep the clock running, instead of running out bounds or throwing it away. Outstanding game awareness.

Nick Foles (5.5)

On the sack he took above, Foles showed great awareness. On this one, he did not. Foles had all day to throw, and had an easy opportunity to get outside the tackle box and throw it away, but he hung on to the ball for an eternity before taking a sack.

After the loss of 11, a 40 yard FG attempt became a 51 yard FG attempt, which Alex Henery proceeded to miss.

Lane Johnson (8) and Todd Herremans (5.5)

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